Antwone Fisher. Dir. Denzel Washington. Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2002.
Antwone Fisher is a young, African-American man serving as a sailor in the Navy. While normally an introverted individual, he is easily goaded into fits of rage – especially when racial tones are involved. Despite being a smart and talented man (drawing and writing poetry), Fisher has a brutal past that is causing his issues with self-control and anger, and the Navy psychiatrist suggests he confront the people of his past to help begin the healing process.
What do we learn about Fisher? His father was shot and killed by an ex-girlfriend before Fisher was born. Fisher’s mother gave birth to him in prison, two months after his father’s death. His mother never claimed him after she got out of prison so Fisher was sent to live with Mrs. Tate, a cruel woman who housed several foster children.
While there, Fisher was physically and mentally abused by Mrs. Tate, threatened with corporal punishment for the tiniest things (sometimes fabricated transgressions), called racial slurs and tied up and beaten unconscious. Meanwhile, his cousin sexually molested him at the age of 6, coercing him into “sexual games” – often beating him if he wouldn’t comply.
The story is about an African-American male, specifically growing up in a foster home where physical, mental, and sexual abuse was commonplace.
The story opens my eyes to the simple fact that we as teachers don’t always know the whole story behind the students we have. We may see a student as angry and lacking self-control, but we don’t understand why the student acts that way – this is why we must learn as much as we can about our students. It gives more credence as well to the importance of figuring out how to handle our students and help them to learn the best way they know how.
While I am not a psychiatrist or psychologist, I recognize I can make a significant impact on someone’s life simply by listening and paying attention to his or her actions. Instead of rushing to judgment and labeling a student, I need to show patience, compassion and acceptance of them as a human being.
The movie definitely relates to what happens (or may happen) in our classroom community. Each student comes to class with thoughts, ideas and characteristics that have been molded by what they see, hear and experience at home. Often times when a student “acts out” or appears to be “trouble,” there is a larger issue at hand that requires some sympathy from the educator. It’s also important to remember that school may be the only place they feel safe, as home may be a volatile place with little or no support – thus, we have a responsibility to “protect” them when inside our community.
I would definitely recommend the movie to others, in part, to give them the “shock effect” of witnessing the types of things some children have to deal with as they grow up, and the unbelievable impact it has on them throughout their lives – especially if they never get help or the chance to fight those demons. It’s important to remember these students don’t come to us with a clean slate. It is also a nice reminder to teachers that know matter what the student appears to be, human beings have an amazing ability to fight, endure and succeed under even the most stressful and destructive circumstances.
I could use this movie with older students, but enforce strict “censorship” of some parts. It may be as effective if I gave them a summary and/or an outline with details. Younger students should probably not be shown the movie due to the graphic nature of some parts.
Completed - 7/30/11
Antwone Fisher. Dir. Denzel Washington. Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2002.
Antwone Fisher is a young, African-American man serving as a sailor in the Navy. While normally an introverted individual, he is easily goaded into fits of rage – especially when racial tones are involved. Despite being a smart and talented man (drawing and writing poetry), Fisher has a brutal past that is causing his issues with self-control and anger, and the Navy psychiatrist suggests he confront the people of his past to help begin the healing process.
What do we learn about Fisher? His father was shot and killed by an ex-girlfriend before Fisher was born. Fisher’s mother gave birth to him in prison, two months after his father’s death. His mother never claimed him after she got out of prison so Fisher was sent to live with Mrs. Tate, a cruel woman who housed several foster children.
While there, Fisher was physically and mentally abused by Mrs. Tate, threatened with corporal punishment for the tiniest things (sometimes fabricated transgressions), called racial slurs and tied up and beaten unconscious. Meanwhile, his cousin sexually molested him at the age of 6, coercing him into “sexual games” – often beating him if he wouldn’t comply.
The story is about an African-American male, specifically growing up in a foster home where physical, mental, and sexual abuse was commonplace.
The story opens my eyes to the simple fact that we as teachers don’t always know the whole story behind the students we have. We may see a student as angry and lacking self-control, but we don’t understand why the student acts that way – this is why we must learn as much as we can about our students. It gives more credence as well to the importance of figuring out how to handle our students and help them to learn the best way they know how.
While I am not a psychiatrist or psychologist, I recognize I can make a significant impact on someone’s life simply by listening and paying attention to his or her actions. Instead of rushing to judgment and labeling a student, I need to show patience, compassion and acceptance of them as a human being.
The movie definitely relates to what happens (or may happen) in our classroom community. Each student comes to class with thoughts, ideas and characteristics that have been molded by what they see, hear and experience at home. Often times when a student “acts out” or appears to be “trouble,” there is a larger issue at hand that requires some sympathy from the educator. It’s also important to remember that school may be the only place they feel safe, as home may be a volatile place with little or no support – thus, we have a responsibility to “protect” them when inside our community.
I would definitely recommend the movie to others, in part, to give them the “shock effect” of witnessing the types of things some children have to deal with as they grow up, and the unbelievable impact it has on them throughout their lives – especially if they never get help or the chance to fight those demons. It’s important to remember these students don’t come to us with a clean slate. It is also a nice reminder to teachers that know matter what the student appears to be, human beings have an amazing ability to fight, endure and succeed under even the most stressful and destructive circumstances.
I could use this movie with older students, but enforce strict “censorship” of some parts. It may be as effective if I gave them a summary and/or an outline with details. Younger students should probably not be shown the movie due to the graphic nature of some parts.